The commercially available 2,3,6-tri-lower alkyl phenols which are important starting materials in the synthesis of tri-lower alkyl hydroquinones, intermediates for vitamin E, are of a very low purity. This has proven extremely disadvantageous since the tri-lower alkyl hydroquinones, which are intermediates for vitamin E and related compounds, should have a high degree of purity. The alkyl hydroquinones which are prepared from the commercially available 2,3,6-tri-lower alkyl phenols generally contain impurities which result from utilizing these impure phenols as starting materials. It is with considerable difficulty and expense that the final tri-lower alkyl hydroquinones are purified for commercial use. Therefore, a method whereby 2,3,6-tri-lower alkyl phenols of high purity can be prepared from economic starting materials has long been desired in the art.